The Butcher Of Congo: King Leopold The Second Of Belgium

King Leopold II of Belgium caused the deaths and suffering of 10 million people in Congo, Africa, during the late 1800s. Belgium today has benefited a lot from the resources and wealth taken from Congo.

In the 1880s, while European countries were taking parts of Africa for themselves, King Leopold II claimed Congo, which was much larger than Belgium and rich in rubber, very important for Europe's industries at that time.

Leopold started an organization, pretending it was to help Africa, but he actually used it to take control of Congo and make himself very rich by forcing the people there to work for him.

For 23 years, from 1885 to 1908, Leopold's rule in Congo was incredibly cruel. He never even went there, but he ordered terrible things like killing people, cutting off their hands, and forcing them to work until they died. He also took children and destroyed villages.

But Leopold's crimes were just one example of European countries treating people badly in other parts of the world too. Britain on the Aborigines in Australia, the United States on Native Americans and Filipinos , French on Northwest Congolese, Spanish on the north and central Native Americans, Portuguese on the Angolans and Amazonians and Germans on Southwest Africans. However, what happened in Congo was so bad that people in Europe, including famous writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, spoke out against it.

Local leaders in Congo, not knowing how to read or write, were tricked into giving away their people and land for almost nothing.

If people didn't collect enough rubber, they were beaten or had their hands cut off. Leopold had his own army to enforce his brutal rules.

Eventually, when Leopold died, his wealth went to the Belgian government. Congo is now called the Democratic Republic of Congo and is very rich in minerals like diamonds. After it became independent from Belgium in 1960, its first leader was killed, leading to more problems and changes in leadership.

Today, Congo has a lot of resources, but its history with Belgium has led to many challenges.